The perceived need to attract younger people to stand for council with a councillor pay increase was outweighed by consideration of the higher than usual, but likely to stay, rate rises via Special Rata Variations (SRVS) for Federation ratepayers.
In moving a staff recommendation for the 3.5% increase, deputy mayor Shaun Whitechurch said one doesn’t get on council for the money but in trying to get people to stand, it’s best if the pay is increased in line with the umpire’s recommendation.
“For a bottom-line cost to council of $6,000 overall, it is not unreasonable,” he said at Monday’s monthly meeting, in Urana.
“Any other employee in Australia … you just get it. If that’s what it takes to get people onto council, I absolutely support it.”
Cr Aaron Nicholls said councillors on the Gold Coast, as full-time councillors, receive $120,000 a year. “The job’s still the same,” he said.
During Cr Gail Law’s 16 years on council, and as a business owner, she has had to pay staff to fulfill her job when she is at council meetings. “What I got as a councillor I used for that purpose,” she said.
Cr David Fahey OAM said he would normally say ‘yes’ to the increase, but not this time. “I’m against it. I’m not prepared to say ‘yes’,” he said. Likewise, Cr David Longley who said, “it’s not the right time”.
In his right of reply, Cr Whitechurch, referring to this year’s September election for councillors, said “this is about future councillors being remunerated”.
“Next time (2025) it will be a substantial rise (from 2024) for councillors facing future councillors to decide on,” he said.
Mayor Pat Bourke referred to the enormous workload of councillors which includes regular meetings at different towns and villages throughout the large Federation Council area and paying extra for work to be done in his absence from private business.
“Why should I feel guilty of a pay rise?” he pondered.
“I believe in the community and the people. I don’t have a problem with a pay rise. My vote is ‘yes’,” the mayor said.
The Local Government Remuneration Tribunal (LGRT) has provided for a maximum increase of 3.75% to the mayoral and councillor fees effective from July 1, 2024, for 2024-25.
For Federation Council, councillor payment would have, for 2024/25, become $18,340 per annum; the mayor’s payment would have been $57,690 per annum comprising $39,350 as mayor and $18,340 as councillor.
But ensuring that did not eventuate, Crs Nicholls, Longley, Fahey, Sally Hughes and Rowena Black voted against the motion. For the unsuccessful motion were Crs Bourke, Whitechurch, Law and Andrew Kennedy.
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